Barrie’s Peggy Raymer is hoping to catch a glimpse of Jeff Probst or Ellen DeGeneres at the 2008 Emmy Awards this year.
Raymer has a ticket to the event as a sponsor of a gift item being handed out to the show’s presenters. She’s owner of Madre Bello, which makes high-end natural and organic products.
The company putting the gift bags together found her online and asked for 250 bottles of the organic lavender body wash, which is going into the stars’ and media gift bags.
“I really like Jeff Probst. He’s from Survivor, this is the first time he’s up for a (reality TV host) Emmy and I’m hoping to meet him,” said Raymer.
“I’m hoping to meet Ellen and (hoping to) actually get to go on her show,” she said.
The 60th-annual Emmy Awards happens September 20, and Raymer at first didn’t believe the request for product was legit.
She went online to rule out a hoax, and ended up talking to other business owners who have put their goods in with the MTV awards and the Oscars.
“This is something you really don’t get the opportunity to do, so I’m going to absorb it all.”
It’s been a lot of work over the past few weeks, but Raymer says she’s ready for it.
“I’ve had a couple of weeks to calm down, and it will ramp up again as it gets closer.”
The idea for the Madre Bello organic products came as a spin-off from her other business, Way More Cleaning.
“My husband and I have been in the window-cleaning business for 10 years and from that, I started house cleaning.”
When she couldn’t find environmentally friendly cleaning products, she started making her own.
Less than a year old, the Madre Bello line was born after Raymer researched different companies and found a Western-Ontario manufacturer that has stringent guidelines, even cleaning its machinery with vinegar, not toxic chemicals.
“When (the product) first came, truthfully, it was excellent. The product was good and the ingredients were excellent.”
The name means beautiful mother, which is named in honour of Raymer’s mom and for Mother Earth. Product is available online and at the Healing Oasis spa in Barrie.
Raymer is prepared for a sudden boom in business after the Emmys. Along with the body wash, she’s also ordered organic T-shirts with her logo to give away.
Until then, she’s figuring out what to wear for the big event.
“Their theme is Caribbean, so we have to dress to the theme. I’m going to go with quite a few outfits and take my chances the first night and then the next night I’ll know for sure what to wear.”
If you would like to view any of the products you can click the link provided.
Janis Ramsay jramsay@simcoe.com
